Ice hockey betting is very prevalent across the world. In America and Europe, gamblers love to place bets on big international tournaments like the NHL and KHL. You, too, can bet on any of the ice hockey games and win handsome cash prizes. But before you place any bet, there are vital factors that you need to familiarize yourself with to maximize your chances. These include:
Understanding the team set up
The first step to winning big on any ice hockey game is to understand how the sport is played. Just like any other game, the sport’s objective is to outscore the rival team. Typically, an ice hockey game is played by two teams—each of the rivals fields six players. The six players are made up of one goalkeeper and five skaters. And because the game involves a lot of physical contacts which may result in injuries, each team is allowed an unlimited number of substitutions in a single match. It is not, therefore, unusual to have a squad of 20 players in a team.
How the game is settled?
Typically, matches that don’t go into overtime are divided into three periods. Each of the periods lasts for 20 minutes. However, league matches are allowed overtime. They can’t also be tied one a winner in overtime is scored. If there is a tie at the end of the overtime, a shootout will be called. A shootout is carried out by the team’s skater, who faces it off with opposing goaltender.
Available ice hockey markets
The following are some of the available markets in ice betting
- Money line- money line in ice hockey involves betting on which team will win a match. You place a bet on the overall winner of the game.
- Handicap- handicap betting is given whenever one team is heavily favored against the rival. The objective of handicap betting is to even the odds. The bookmaker can provide a handicap based on the number of goals available in the winning margin.
- Total goals-just, like any other popular sport like soccer, ice hockey winner, is decided by the number of goals each team scores at the end of a match. You can, therefore, bet on whether the number of goals will be above or below a given figure provided by the bookmaker. For example, you can bet Under 4 Half time or over five full time.
- Total goals- betting on the overall goal scored is another market that you can explore. The totals market includes the goals that are scored in case overtime is called. You receive less favorable odds for the same over 4.5 bets. However, you still stand a chance of winning in case of regulation time and overtime.
The competitions
It is also essential to familiarize yourself with the different competitions that are available for betting. You should also know when the tournaments are taking place. The biggest competitions that offer better chances include the National Hockey League (NHL). NHL is played in the United States and Canada. The leading bookmakers provide the game on their online platforms. This means that you can bet on the games from any location in the world. Alternatively you can also place your bets using online scratch cards.
Another key competition to watch out for is the continental Hockey League (KHL). KHL is based in Slovakia, Russia, Latvia, Kazakhstan, Finland, China, and Belarus. Besides, International Ice Hockey world championship tournament and Winter Olympics are two other competitions to watch out. IIHF is held annually while the winter Olympics is held after every four years.
Betting strategy
The following are some of the things to do before you start pacing your bets:
- Research on bookmakers- if you want to win big, do simple research on the best bookmaker to use. Compare the odds that several bookmakers are offering on the same match to decide on the best one that provides better returns.
- Consider home advantage- some teams are naturally stronger while playing at home. They get a boost from all the cheering they get from enthusiastic fans.
- Team’s goaltender- it is also essential to study the quality of the team’s goaltender. Goaltender position is critical to any team
- Research on the team- you should also do thorough research on the overall performance of a team in the previous matches. Determine the games they have won and the ones lost. These statistics will significantly help you to come up with a sound betting strategy.
Finally, there are many opportunities in ice hockey betting for a keen gambler looking for huge profits. Use the tips we have provided and experience a change in your fortunes.
